Pasta To Go franchise opens in Isla Verde

Pasta To Go Enterprise, which specializes in fresh pasta dishes, opened its third location in Puerto Rico Thursday, moving into a strip mall in Isla Verde to cater to the busy tourist zone.

The local, “home-made, fast-food” franchise already has two other restaurants in Bayamón and Cupey, and is in expansion mode.

Eduardo Moll, a retired banking executive, is the franchisee of the newest restaurant and is joining the ranks of local small business owners who are braving economic conditions to establish their operations.

“We will provide tourists and area residents a new alternative based on the highest standards of quality, taste and service,” he said, noting the new restaurant is generating 10 new jobs.

Pasta To Go is a Puerto Rican chain created by entrepreneurs Carlos Rodríguez, a former hotel industry chef, and his wife Aslín Santiago. The business, which got its start out of a cart in Guaynabo in October 2001, is based on his original recipes for the sauces and dishes. The menu includes a wide variety of pastas, lasagna, salads and home-made desserts.

Franchise opportunities are available for additional stores, which usually range in size from 500 to 1,900 square feet — depending on whether they are free-standing or in a food court or strip mall — and require an investment of between $133,000 and $165,000.